Patent GB-783734-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to calculating or accounting machines
IPC: G06C11/04
Filed: 1955-09-15
Abstract: 783,734. Statistical apparatus. MACHINES AUTOMATIQUES MODERNES. Sept. 15, 1955 [Sept. 16, 1954], No. 26486/55. Class 106 (1). A statistical machine has means for reading a balance recorded magnetically on an account document as it is introduced into the machine, means for calculating a new balance and means for recording this new balance magnetically on the document as it is ejected. The machine comprises a line of magnetic reading and recording heads 1, Fig. 17, which read the recorded balance as the documents are inserted and record the new balance as the documents are removed, the old record being erased by heads 22. The record on the document consists of a number of magnetized spots or pips arranged in parallel columns which may be defined by lines of magnetic material across the face of the document, the number of the pips being the figure recorded or the complement to 9 of that figure. The magnetic head 1 is connected to an amplifier 2 supplying the coil of a relay 3 which has contacts 4 in the circuit of an electromagnet 12. As the card bearing, for example, a number four is introduced into the machine, the recorded magnetic pips move past the head 1 so that the relay 3 picks-up and breaks the circuit to the electromagnet four times. The number " 4 " is transmitted to the calculating mechanism as follows. Ten totalizer wheels 5, Fig. 14, are actuated by ten calculating racks 6. Each wheel has three positions, a central neutral position, a bottom position for additions, and a top position for subtractions. Aligned with each calculating rack 6 is an auxiliary rack 7 subject to the action of a traction spring 8. A pawl 9 retaining the rack in its set position is releasable by an electromagnet 10 to free the rack for movement under the action of spring 8. The rack is advanced against the spring by a ratchet pawl 11 actuated by an electromagnet 12. Every operation of pawl 11 closes a contact 13, Fig. 17, adapted to direct a recording impulse from oscillator 19 to the head 1. A further contact 14 controlling the electromagnet 10 is adapted to be closed by abutment with the rack 6 as this moves into the end position. A number, e.g. four, is transmitted as follows. Initially the rack 6 is in right-hand position, Fig. 1, wheel 5 is in central position and rack 7 is in left-hand position. As the four pips pass the head 1 the relay 3 closes contacts 4 four times, thereby energizing electromagnet 12 four times. This causes auxiliary rack 7 to advance by four teeth towards the right and it is retained in this position by pawl 9. A cycle of the machine is then initiated by the operator pressing a button which by mechanism shown in Specification 28253/08, [Class 106], causes the lever 15 of contact 14 to swing down into the path of the rack 6; the calculating rack to be pushed into contact with rack 7 and the wheel 5 to be lowered to engage the bottom set of rack teeth (see Fig. 5). The rack 6 then returns to the initial position driving the wheel through a number of teeth, the wheel returns to the neutral position and contacts 14 close to release pawl 9 and allow rack 7 to return to the starting position as shown in Fig. 7. The number of teeth through which the wheel 5 has been turned is the complement to 9 of four, i.e. five. The number stored in the wheels 5 of the machine are recorded on the document as follows. The operator presses a button starting a cycle of the machine which first causes wheels 5 to rise and engage the top set of teeth of racks 6. The rack is then caused to move to the left, turning the wheel 5 as far as its abutment (Fig. 12). The racks 7 are then pushed to the right into engagement with racks 6 by arms 16 acting through setting springs 17, the pawl 9 retaining the rack in this position. The racks 7 now contain the number 3 which is the complement to 9 of the number initially contained in wheel 5. The wheel then moves into the central position and the rack 6 returns to the starting position to cause setting arms 16 to return to the initial position and the closing of contacts 21 (Fig. 14). The rack is advanced by actuation of pawl 11 until it engages the rack 6 as shown in Fig. 15. The recording is effected by connecting the oscillator 19 to the head 1 as the card is ejected from the machine. This connection is made through contact 13 on the pawl 11 each time it is actuated by its electromagnet. The card is ejected by gear mechanism driven by ratchet wheel 33, Fig. 17, actuated by an electromagnet 26 through pawl 25. The card has marginal perforations engaged by teeth on gear wheels 36 rotating with ratchet wheels 33, 34 actuated by electromagnets 26, 24 respectively. To insert a card it is placed in a shoot of the machine and a button pressed which connects the circuit of the electromagnet 24 with a pulse distributer 20. The pawl 23 thereby advances in step with the distributer 20 and the card is lowered into the machine one line at a time. A magnetic line having only one " pip " is provided on the card serving to align the card before reading commences. When this " pip " passes an alignment head an alignment relay is picked up to break the circuit of the electromagnet 24 to stop the card.